Three Cent Stamp
Amusing musings and streams of consciousness

Webster and I are thoroughly enjoying our vacation. He really knows how to relax!

Step 1:  Watch sister drop strawberry mixture (for strawberry shortcake) all over the floor, including splashing the wall and dog.

Step 2: Laugh at sister.

Steps 3, 4,  7 & 8 are not necessary, but extremely helpful as a peace offering.

Step 3: Go to store with sister to get more strawberries.

Step 4: Wash strawberries.

Step 5. Take pictures of every step whereby you get in the way and make sister mad at you again.

Step 6. Immediately put down camera before it’s wrapped around one’s neck strangling oneself.

Step 7: Cut strawberries, mash strawberries.

Step 8: Put strawberry mixture in a sealed Tupperware bowl so if dropped, mixture does not come into contact with hardwood floors, wall and dog.

Step 9: Read blog post to sister whereby enticing sister to pour said strawberry mixture on your head.

Step 10: Hit “publish” very quickly.

Last, but not least, enjoy strawberry shortcake. Ummm good!

Yesterday, the temperature soared up around 103 degrees and just like flowers without water, we wilted. Admittedly I’m a wimp when it comes to both heat and cold. I prefer the coolness of the 70s and at one point during the day I had to evaluate whether I disliked the heat worse than shopping malls with plenty of air conditioning. Even though we do have a pool filled with water, it was still too hot (did I mention I’m a wimp in the heat?). Instead, I opted to nap under the hum of a rotating ceiling fan!

I’m visiting my family in Southern Oregon, in part to spend the 4th of July holiday with them, enjoy my dad’s birthday on July 6th, and to celebrate my sister having been released from the hospital, recovering from blood clots found on her lungs. She is doing and feeling great!  With so much to be thankful for, we decided to partake in the 4th of July festivities – from afar at least. We headed out to the barn where my sister’s horse, Ladybug, lives. It’s a few miles drive from our house, but a beautiful place to visit with its green pastures and picturesque buildings. There we sat in our folding chairs  a mile away from the fireworks displays, my telephoto lens stretching as far as it could to catch a glimpse of the “pretty booms”, (what I called fireworks as a baby). But with our distance came great advantages, aside from the obvious of not having to wrestle the crowds or waste a tank of gas trolling for parking; from our vantage point next to the barn under clear, star-studded skies, we saw no less than 6 different fireworks displays all going off at slightly different times and in different colors. There we sat, my sister and I, quietly, gratefully, in the dark, enjoying the the cool breeze that had finally roused, the smell of fresh cut grass and hay, a stray cat, horses and cows in the distant fields and calls from a family of owls.  Perfect!

How do I jump back in after such a long absence? Oh, how I’ve missed writing blog posts, reading my favorite blogs, Twittering and all my Internet pals!  I wonder — after such a long moratorium I– whether I’ll be able to compose a post at all.  It feels like the only writing I’ve done lately is at work via email. So now that we all know what I haven’t been doing, what HAVE I been doing?  

For starers, I’ve been working A LOT, but I can’t complain because I’m really lovin’ it (most days). I am grateful that I not only have a job, but I have a job that I enjoy. We’re heading toward the finish line with some pretty large projects and our hours are long and sometimes, quite intense. This particular photo was shot with my iPhone. Most weekends you’ll see me online for work, usually bugging somebody for something (at work I’m known as PPITA, Professional Pain in The A$$).   However, I did take a breather yesterday to attend a beer bash (and yes, as a matter of fact, I did have a beer).

Not too long ago I headed up to San Francisco to attend the World Wide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) put on by Apple, Inc. I had a blast, enjoyed a couple graphics and imaging sessions, as well as San Francisco (loved the view of SF bay outside my hotel window). Being a bit of a nerd I have to admit that I got goosebumps seeing so many Macs in one room, albeit a BIG room, but there was a plethora of Macs!

I reconnected with a dear friend after a 10 year absence. Oh how I have missed you, “B”.

I stopped to smell the roses (Hamburglar, you should have a field day with this one)!

I also relaxed … not to mention I got weekly massages from Judy when things got overly tense in the office (like the Friday that I got yelled at … OK, maybe he wasn’t yelling exactly … but I felt a scolding there for a few minutes … which reversed 5 minutes later and I got to hear, “Kat is right on this one.”). Yeah, one for PPITA!

I visited my family in Oregon … they were online, I wasn’t.  But I do think that a family that “Macs together, stays together.” At least for the duration that one requires WiFi access (did I mention that I drool when I see a lot of Macs in the same room – hence, I am not pictured here).

I made new friends and went drinking with them. These evenings were truly pleasurable, as were the drinks.

I sacrificed my left thigh (on quite a few occasions) to the great vitamin shot entity and I must say that I am feeling pretty darned damned good … but more on that later. This is a good thing, trust me.

I had laughed until my cheeks were sore at a journal making workshop and I have enjoyed writing, painting & gluing things into my new journal. Green Girl gave me my very first inspirational message (a quote taken from her journal) which is pasted on the opening page next to my scribbling and chalk work. I’m particularly fond of taking big bites out of anything edible (like birthday cake … I love cake!).

I made cards for friends (birthday cards, friendship cards, get well cards) and framed a photograph for a friend’s birthday.

I managed to find time to get completely hooked on a new TV show, called “Lie to Me”. It’s an excellent crime solving show that focuses on applied psychology and microexpressions to solve cases. I’m completely obsessed with this show, having bought the complete first season on iTunes!  Seriously, check it out. 

Last, but not least, I have been taking photos, here and there in preparation for a class I’ll be taking in August at the Maine Media Workshops. So many photos, so little time and there are times I contemplate retiring on a beach somewhere … she sells pictures of sea shells on the sea shore … yes, this is what I dream at times.

With all this fun and work, and work, and work, and work … well, you can understand where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing, right?  And speaking of photographs, I really must get back to my sorting. My webmaster (AKA: husband) is waiting for new photographs so we can launch an update of my other web site, Pixels2Picture. Hey, if you’re in the mood for some light reading about photographs, feel free to drop by and see my photo blog there.   But I’ll be back here real soon. Promise!

Driving up to Oregon we seemed to be chasing the snow. Once we drove through Redding, California, the rain froze and snowflakes fell.  By the time we drove through Ashland, Oregon, our visibility dropped as did our driving speed. 

Restless and unable to resist taking pictures of beautiful, snow capped mountains, I decided to roll down my window and snap whatever I could.  As I hung out the passenger window and as the icy air filled the cab of the car, Bill failed to fully appreciate my love of snow and enthusiasm for photography.  However, since he is well versed in my antics he should not have been surprised. 

We arrived safely at my parent’s home in Southern Oregon and I’ve  been doing my snow dance ever since. Each morning I hope to wake up to the white of winter. This morning I was rewarded (or mocked, if you prefer) with a light dusting of snow, which, unfortunately melted within the hour. I know, I know … if you live on the east coast or anywhere that there is serious snow, you’re laughing at my wimpy version below.  

Snow … sigh … maybe tomorrow?

Solitude is not something you must hope for in the future. Rather, it is a deepening of the present, and unless you look for it in the present you will never find it.  ~Thomas Merton

With all the books in our book cases, perhaps I should be a bit more creative in actually using my books as art. While my books my not be nearly as colorful as those in the photo below, I’m certain I could spell out a word or two. Book, for example. How would it look if people walked in and saw the word “book” spelled with books on our book shelves?  But maybe I should think bigger, maybe a word such as, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.  

What would you spell?

Original post: http://pan-dan.blogspot.com/2008/11/b-o-o-k.html

I am stoked to  have completed my first ever NaBloPoMo writing event. Essentially, 30 posts in 30 days. For me, this was a lot! When I started I wasn’t even sure that I’d make it. After all it’s not easy finding topics to post each and every day. Some days, it’s difficult enough to write, period! I wondered if over the 30 day period I’d end up resorting to just one-liners with a photo.  I did not do this other than having posted my standard, “Poetic Photograph” section that I do each week. Overall, I am very happy with the content that I posed throughout the month.

I would like to thank all the readers, fellow bloggers and Twitter pals who stopped by during the month to read a post, leave a comment and provide me an abundance of encouragement.

I would also like to congratulate fellow bloggers who also took on the challenge, whether you made it the entire month or not. Shit happens and we do our best, right?

Thank you!

Yesterday I met a friend, her friends, and her mom, for brunch to celebrate her birthday. It was a beautiful day in Santa Cruz; warm enough to be spring instead of fall, heading towards winter. There we were sitting at the table, six women, of various ages and points in our lives and careers. We laughed and talked about everything ranging from writing to quilting, jewelry, travel, blogging and Buddhism, not necessarily in that order. What struck me as interesting, besides each of them, was that some people knew each other and some didn’t. I knew only my friend, and the other 4 people were first acquaintances. I was new to them. Yet in spite of how long we had known each other and who knew each other first, we all had common passions to talk about, and there was a fun-loving, warm, comfort level that made me feel as if I had known these women for years.

This is so indicative of the friend who brought us all together; she is a creative, fun-loving, high-spirited woman who has a real zest for life. I admire the way she is able to connect with people and her wisdom and spunk. There is a depth to her that you don’t find in people every day.  In the midst of our celebratory laughter, “N”, the woman sitting in the middle of the table, announced that she had brought some glitter. We laughed and then passed the delicate little container from hand to hand, each taking a pinch and letting the glitter drop to our hair and faces. More laughter ensued. The picture of these beautiful, fun loving women, wearing glitter, laughing like kids, forgetting anything but the moments at hand, was inspiring, and was a sight to behold. I was sad when our time together had ended and we each departed for the other plans that we had made for the day.

Last night when my husband and I were sitting on the couch admiring a warm, cozy fire he looked over at me and said, “Hey, you have glitter on your nose.”  I laughed, remembering how much fun we had and how much we laughed, sharing our stories and enjoying each other’s company. I especially felt generosity to my friend for allowing me to share her birthday with her and for bringing a group of strangers together for an afternoon of fun.

The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too. 

~Samuel Butler, Notebooks, 1912